The Student Hub Live Podcast

In today’s episode, Heidi speaks with Richard, a former OU student who discovered his natural talent for Law thanks to his experience with The Open University. After studying for a certificate in Higher Education with the OU, he went on to study full time at Birmingham City University and now has just one year left of his LLB. Richard talks about his love for the OU and how it helped him find dire...

In this month’s episode, Heidi (who has just finished the first year of her PhD) has recorded a solo podcast for us which focuses exclusively on studying for a PhD at The Open University. If you’ve always wanted to gain your doctorate but have felt excluded because of finances, caring responsibilities or a lack of confidence, this episode will help move you towards your goal. Although the OU welco...

Today, OU PhD student Heidi, was joined by Sharon, an OU student studying Arts and Humanities with the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Sharon is a classically trained dancer, singer and actress, who has featured in films, TV and on the stage. Her journey with the OU began when she was awarded a prestigious Black Students’ Support Fund Scholarship in 2023 ( find out more about the scholarship...

In this episode, Heidi and Scott speak with Dan Richards, an elite athlete and OU student who received a Disabled Veterans Scholarship with The Open University in 2023. After serving in The King's Troop Royal Horse Artillery, and later Afghanistan, Dan had a devastating motorbike accident which caused him to lose almost a quarter of his body. However, Dan refused to let ‘one bad day’ (his words) d...

In this special edition of the Student Hub Live Podcast, Heidi speaks to Rebekah. Rebekah is a mother to three children and is a year away from completing her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) with The Open University. She is a full-time carer to her eldest son, who requires 24/7 support, and was awarded a Carers Scholarship through the OU. In this inspiring conversation, Rebekah shares an array of insights...

In this Student Hub Live podcast special, Heidi and Scott speak with Ayr, an OU student who has already completed a degree in Psychology and is now on to the next, History. Ayr overcame a series of personal difficulties when studying, and uses education as a positive mechanism for coping with challenging times. Please note that in this episode, Ayr discusses grief, including the loss of a sibling...

In the first episode of 2025, Heidi and Scott discuss how they stay motivated throughout January (not an easy task!) Scott draws on his planning routine to stay on top of things while Heidi opts to prioritise rest where possible to maintain her energy levels (coupled with her favourite hobby, feeding the birds and squirrels in her garden). There are huge changes underway for Scott who discusses hi...

In this very special episode of the Student Hub Live Podcast, Heidi and Scott speak with Rob Moore, an Associate Lecturer at The Open University. As one of our main Student Hub Live presenters, you will likely to know Rob as the reassuring, kind host who joins us from his ‘study shack’. However, what few students may realise, is that Rob has been dedicated to supporting OU students for over twenty...

In the final episode of the Student Hub Live Podcast: Summer Edition, Scott outlines the fascinating history of Stonehenge and stresses the importance of caring for historical sites and artefacts. Plus, Heidi and Scott ask each other a series of questions, including what courses they would design if they could, what they would title their autobiographies, which fictional character they would have...

In today's episode, the penultimate in our Student Hub Live Podcast Summer Edition series, Heidi puts Scott on the spot and tests his Open University knowledge. We would love for you to join in wherever you are listening to the podcast, let us know your score via studenthub@open.ac.uk . If you'd like to find out more facts about the OU or verify any of the answers in today's quiz,  click here . Pl...

In this episode, Heidi and Scott discuss how to bounce back from disappointment, especially university grades which don’t align with your expectations! They talk about how to shift your perspective and use setbacks as an opportunity for growth. They explore some of the issues faced by students who have to sacrifice time with their families and how to manage feelings of ‘letting down’ those around...

In today’s episode, Scott and Heidi talk you through many benefits available to you when you join as an Open University student. Scott will explain incredible discounts available via Totum , UNiDAYS and UCAS , including cinema treats , Amazon Prime Student and Spotify for students , plus, he also shares information about his friend Luke’s successful YouTube channel, College Music , totally free fo...

In this episode, you’ll find out why Scott found himself in a (very hot) room with LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Eminem and Snoop Dog this week, plus we discuss distance learning versus learning at a bricks and mortar university. Are you thinking of joining the OU but are concerned you might feel isolated? Are you worried there won’t be enough pastoral care? In which case, this episode is design...

In this episode, Scott and Heidi talk about the importance of rest for wellbeing and effective study. Scott outlines how exercise and reading are his go-to relaxation strategies, while Heidi discusses her trips away, solo-dates and setting healthy boundaries. They also discuss the freedom that comes with being able to simply admit you don't know something and the importance of taking guilt-free br...

In this week’s podcast, Scott and Heidi discuss study strategies and expectations versus reality when it comes to studying with The Open University. Plus, Scott offers tips on how he deals with online trolls, shares fascinating history facts about potatoes, perpetual stews (gross) and early South American civilizations, and talks about the importance of not slipping behind in your studies. Heidi d...

In today's podcast, Heidi and Scott, both former OU students, share their experiences of self-doubt. Despite having one of the most popular history Tik Tok channels in the UK and winning a national award as a personal trainer, Scott shares how he is still plagued by imposter syndrome. Heidi talks about perfection paralysis and how she refuses to let it stop her, outlining how studying with the OU...

In this first podcast of the series, Heidi and Scott discuss their experiences of studying with The Open University, how struck they were by the passion and expertise of OU Associate Lecturers and the quality of OU teaching materials. Scott talks about how he harnessed his love of learning and developed his hugely successful Tik Tok channel, Mad About History while Heidi shares her challenges with...

In all areas of life, we can be fed idealised images – and the same applies to study journeys. You may come across certain ideas of what is ‘normal’ or what you should do to be a ‘good student’. Sometimes it can even feel like you don’t fit the mould of what a good student should be. The great thing at The Open University is that we’re different from other universities. Here at Student Hub Live, w...

Within your studies you are often presented with facts, theories and information that you need to use within your assessment. Working out how to select the best parts and how to represent them in an effective way can be tricky. Do you use quotes? Do you give your own interpretation of what they might mean? Can you even say which parts are relevant to your argument? In this live broadcast we will b...

Do you work or study with people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures? Do your words sometimes get ‘lost in translation’? Is English an additional language for you? This session brings together experts from our School of Languages and Applied Linguistics with colleagues working in business and health and social care. They will discuss the challenges of interacting in a globally connecte...

This session will help you make a confident start to your Access module. We will explain how the module is organised, what to expect from your tutor and what assessment is all about. Access students nearing the end of their module will share their experiences and pass on lots of top tips and advice to help you. The module teams will also be on hand to answer questions. This session is designed to...

We all need a confidence boost to feel study ready. It doesn’t matter whether your studies have been paused for years, months, or just over the summer, we want to help you feel ready to restart. In this broadcast we’ll hear from real students and discuss how tough they sometimes found it – and why they’re glad they carried on. We’ll look at the practicalities of coming back to study and have caree...

Whether this is your first or 12th end of module assessment, pulling together a years’ worth of work can be a little daunting. End of module assessments can be more challenging than tutor marked assignments because of the scope of the content as well as the complexity of the task. In this broadcast we discuss how to work with key themes and concepts and how to balance breadth and depth of discussi...

First assignments in a new module are always exciting – a chance to work with your Associate Lecturer in developing your skills. Theoretically speaking, your first assignments are the starting point for improvement, and you will learn more each time. However, assignments can sometimes create feelings that can get in the way of learning. One of the things we know at SHL is that many students feel a...

Starting out with the OU is very exciting. Before the module officially begins, and you gain access to your learning materials and the OU systems, you may want to spend some time thinking about what lies ahead. At this event we’ll introduce you to some key people at the OU and offer advice about setting yourself up for the best start. These sessions are a great opportunity to meet other students w...